This guide will address only the Hungarian 1848-49 Order of Military Merit 2nd Class. The Hungary 1848-49 Order of Military Merit 2nd Class (Az 1848-1849-es Magyar Katonai Érdemrend ideiglenes II or the Ungarischer Militärverdienstorden II. Klasse) was established in 1849 for military merit during the 28 September 1848 - 2 May 1849 Hungarian War of Independence.   As Hungary's highest award, it was awarded retroactive to 1848 and reportedly continued on a very random basis until the design of a cross to replace these provisional awards in 1867 when the Austrian Kaiser Franz Joseph I became King of Hungary and unified the 2 countries.   This is a fairly complicated history and I recommend reading about this War so the significance of these awards are more clear. 

Order of Military Merit 2nd Class (1849 variant)

Order of Military Merit 2nd Class (late-issue copy)

The contemporary issued (1849-ca. 1850) Order of Military Merit 2nd Class was of silver alloy with a wreath circling a double cross which is inserted into a crown and mounted on 3 hills.  Each example I've viewed is slightly different.  One example of a late-issue (ca. 1850-ca. 1865) Order of Military Merit 2nd Class was of silver alloy with a wreath spray (it appeared to have been enameled green at one time) circling a crowned shield with 1/2 of the shield being 8 horizontal bands of alternating red and white with the other 1/2 being a white double cross on a red background which is inserted into a crown and mounted on 3 green hills.  Both major variants were mounted on a horizontal red ribbon (approximately 30 to 40 mm high by 80 to 100 mm wide).  The Hungarian National Military Museum notes that at least one Order of Military Merit 2nd Class was worn during the USA Civil War by a verified recipient serving as a Union officer. 

To date, I've only noted five originals and all have been in museums (four in two museums in Budapest, Hungary and one in a museum in Arad, Rumania - the award documents are maintained by the Hungarian National Archives but some examples appear in  museums) but there are reputedly at least 4 examples in private collections according to a curator at the Hungarian National Military Museum.  It's interesting to note that the ones in museums are variants and no two are the same and only one of these was the late issue variant.  I suspect that more exist but are probably misidentified as jewelry brooches. While in Hungary, I was able to obtain 2 fairly cheap representative copies of this relatively unknown order (1 of which is illustrated).  The Hungarian National Military Museum offers cast copies of most Hungarian &/or Austrian-Hungarian awards (including militaria reference material and a copy of the Order of the Golden Fleece!) at nominal prices.

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